March 1, 2022
Friends in Faith—
Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent! We will be joining in an ecumenical Ash Wednesday service with other SSIP-affiliated churches (SSIP stands for "South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership") at 7 p.m. via Zoom on March 2. Participating churches include First United Methodist Church, Florin United Methodist Church, Bethany Presbyterian Church, Centennial United Methodist Church, and Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church. Please join us for this time of ecumenical worship, and don't forget to have some water or ashes on hand for the imposition of ashes. Click here for details and to log on.
Then, on Sunday, March 6, during the worship service, we'll begin Lent with communion. For folks attending from home, be sure to have some bread and juice on hand. Our scripture lesson is from Luke 4:1-13; Jesus is tempted in the desert. We'll be focusing on growing spiritually in this special time of the Christian calendar. Our hymns include: Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days; Lord, I Want to Be a Christian; and Lord, You have Come to the Lakeshore. Pianist Natalya Amelchenko begins playing gathering music at 10:20 a.m, with the service starting at 10:30 a.m. Folks can also join from home on Facebook. (You can also watch prior services at any time here.) Don't forget to bring your monthly donations of packaged or canned goods for the SSIP Food Closet.
On the five Mondays of the Lenten season (3/7, 3/14,3/21, 3/21 and 4/4), all are invited to join us in a book study of Rowan William's "Meeting God in Paul." The Spiritual Formation Commission has purchased 15 copies of this book; they can be picked up in the main office. Our book study will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 11 a.m. We'll then head to the sanctuary for a brief time of worship. Finally, we'll enjoy a simple meal of soup and bread. Our morning together will probably conclude by around 11:45 a.m. Please join us for this special time of sharing in the Lenten journey together. Click here for more details.
A FEW UPDATES:
On Wednesday, March 2, we'll be meeting via Zoom for our monthly "What's Happening" meeting—a time to simply catch up with one another. This time of virtual fellowship begins at 11 a.m. and ends by 12 p.m. Click here for log-on details.Office Manager Maria Mar returns from her vacation on March 4. The office will then be open on Thursday and Friday this week from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The SSIP Food Closet’s second annual "Full Plates, Full Hearts" virtual auction and fundraiser is coming up next week: Wednesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. Here are more details.
Our Spiritual Formation Commission is hoping to repurpose some of our space into a quiet area for contemplation and prayer. So some of our elders have been doing some cleaning and reorganizing of various rooms throughout Bethany. We have a couple of tables just outside of the kitchen/Social Hall full of various items that are free to whoever would like them. We have books, t-shirts, office supplies, bags, etc. Please help yourself; the tables will be up for the next several weeks.
COVID Updates:
Session voted last week to reinstate our time of fellowship and snacks immediately following worship! Several months ago, we voted to follow the recommendations of the CDC and our state, and so we continue to do so now. Masks are no longer required in our building, but feel free to continue to use yours if you have concerns. We do recognize that we are vulnerable community due to our age.
Do note that if we hear of someone in our community testing positive for COVID, we will e-mail our members/friends/renters concerning the time frame of when exposure may have occurred on our campus. So if you happened to be in our building during a time frame in question, you can then feel free to take a test if you so desire. We ask that everyone continue to sign in and out when at the church so that we can help keep track of possible exposures.
We strongly recommended that all worship attendees have gotten their booster shot. If you are not feeling well, we also ask that you stay home and worship virtually. See above for the Facebook link!
As a faith community, we have the privilege of being able to journey with one another through a chaotic and beautiful world, full of many highs and lows. We celebrate one another's victories, and we hold one another in prayer during those times of pain, fear, and loss. If you have prayers that you would like to share with our community, please contact me or Office Manager Maria Mar. Also, be sure to indicate if you'd like your prayer to be shared, or if you'd like it to be held in confidentiality.
God hears all of our prayers, and in Christ, we find healing, wholeness, and new beginnings. With each passing day, the Spirit of God is presenting us with new opportunities of love and grace. No matter what comes our way, all roads lead to Jesus—thanks be to God!
Blessings to all,
Jesse
